Record Health Budget for Far North Queensland

The Palaszczuk Government will invest more than $1.1 billion in healthcare in Far North Queensland, a record health Budget for the region.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Steven Miles said the budget reflected the Government’s commitment to providing quality health services in regional Queensland.

“No matter where you live in Far North Queensland, from the Cape to the Tablelands, you will have access to high-quality healthcare,” Mr Miles said.

“Tomorrow’s State Budget will deliver on the healthcare commitments we made to Queenslanders at the election.

“Our State Budget will include a record $18.3 billion for health services and infrastructure in Queensland in 2018-19.”

Mr Miles said Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service (HHS) will have an operating budget of $936.7 million in 2018-19, almost $30 million more than the previous financial year.

Member for Barron River Craig Crawford said health funding was being increased and distributed to deliver the best care possible.

“We’re investing an additional $16.8 million in growth funding to meet increased demand, especially in our public emergency departments,” Mr Crawford said.

“The Government is investing funding to help support the hardworking doctors and nurses in Far North Queensland.”

Speaker of the Queensland Parliament and Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt said the Palaszczuk Government’s State Budget would focus on keeping up with increased demand at public hospitals.

“The Government will continue to advance and invest in our public health facilities to provide high quality health services in Far North Queensland,” Mr Pitt said.

“In 2018-19 construction will begin on the Cairns South Health Precinct.” 

Member for Cairns Michael Healy said the record investment was a win for the Far North.

“We are also providing $1.4 million to construct a state-of-the-art cardiac catheterisation laboratory at Cairns Hospital to enable specialist diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions,” Mr Healy said.

“The Far North Hospital Foundation has donated $1.4 million toward this project and we are extremely grateful.”

Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said the Budget was delivering on a key election commitment.

“One of the significant investments from this budget will be $5 million to purchase and install a CT scanner at Mareeba Hospital so patients there do not have to travel to Atherton or Cairns to get a CT scan,” Ms Lui said.

Other priorities for Cairns and Hinterland in 2018-19 include:

• $16.8 million in growth funding to meet projected increase in activity including emergency department presentations, elective surgery and outpatients and to open the second cardiac catheterisation laboratory once completed
• $2.2 million for gastrointestinal endoscopy services
• $810,000 for community mental health treatment services
• $1 million for additional clinical staff to meet increasing demand for health services in Queensland correctional facilities
• Beginning construction on the Cairns South Health Precinct and the Atherton Hospital Redevelopment.
• $400,000 in 2018-19 out of $1.8 million for a replacement ambulance station in Mareeba.
• $1.5 million for staff accommodation upgrades in Mareeba

Ms Lui said Torres and Cape will receive $213.7 million in 2018-19, almost $11 million more than the previous financial year.

“We want Queenslanders to continue to have access to world-class health services regardless of where they live and this budget shows that,” she said.

Priorities for Torres and Cape in 2018-19 include:

• $930,000 to support professional education in rural and remote communities aimed at retaining nursing workforce and enhance services
• $370,000 for community mental health treatment services
• delivering priority infrastructure projects including the $6.7 million Aurukun Primary Health Care Centre redevelopment

Cairns and Hinterland and Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Services operate a combined 58 hospital and health facilities and excel in providing high-quality health care to a combined population of almost 280,000 in an area spanning 270,000 square kilometres.

In this year’s State Budget, the Palaszczuk Government is investing in Health’s operating budget by a record $17.3 billion in 2018-19, an increase of $729.3 million from the 2017-18 budget.

The Government is boosting health infrastructure. The capital budget will be $985.5 million in 2018-19, an increase of $69.4 million from 2017-18.

ENDS

Media contact: Katharine Wright – 0428 957 903 / Amy Hunter - 0423 651 484